Margate (Tas.)

Population growth drivers in Margate are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, Margate's population is estimated at around 4387 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 148 people (3.5%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4239 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 4351, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 43 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 111 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Margate has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.2%, outpacing the state. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 57.99999999999999% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and to estimate growth by age group in the years post-2032, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Anticipating future population dynamics, a population increase just below the median of national areas is expected, with the suburb expected to expand by 215 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 4.3% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Margate according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Margate has seen around 12 dwellings receiving development approval per year. Between financial years FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 61 homes were approved, with a further 9 approved in FY-26 to date. On average, each dwelling accommodates about 2.6 new residents annually over the past five financial years.

This indicates healthy demand, supporting property values. The average construction cost of new homes is around $452,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-26, Margate has registered approximately $2.6 million in commercial approvals, reflecting its primarily residential nature. Comparatively, Margate records about 68% of the building activity per person when measured against Greater Hobart.

Nationally, it places among the 39th percentile of areas assessed. This results in relatively constrained buyer choice, supporting interest in existing properties. The lower level of development compared to national averages may reflect market maturity and possible development constraints. All new construction in Margate has been comprised of detached houses, preserving its low density nature. This emphasis on detached housing attracts space-seeking buyers. The estimated count of 435 people per dwelling approval reflects the area's quiet, low activity development environment. Future projections estimate Margate will add 188 residents by 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Margate has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 18thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects likely to impact the area: Margate Main Street Masterplan (2024-2044), Margate to Huntingfield Shared Pathway, Huntingfield Land Release, and Spring Farm Village. The following details those most relevant.

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Employment conditions in Margate demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Margate's workforce is well educated with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.6% as of September 2025, according to AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. In Margate, 2,281 residents were in work while the unemployment rate was 1.4% lower than Greater Hobart's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation was similar at 67.7%, compared to Greater Hobart's 63.8%. Census responses showed that only 11.9% of Margate residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Leading employment industries were health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Margate had a particularly strong specialization in construction, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance showed lower representation at 14.6% compared to the regional average of 17.3%. The predominantly residential area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.6% and employment declined by 0.7%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged in Margate. In contrast, Greater Hobart experienced an employment decline of 0.7% and a labour force decline of 0.9%, with a 0.2 percentage point drop. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offered insight into potential future demand within Margate. These projections estimated that national employment would expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differed significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Margate's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not take into account localised population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

The suburb of Margate has a median taxpayer income of $53,491 and an average income of $82,879 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is among the highest in Australia, compared to Greater Hobart's median income of $54,577 and average income of $65,190. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.6% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $58,626 (median) and $90,835 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Margate are around the 56th percentile nationally. The data shows that the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 38.3% of the community (1,680 individuals), which is similar to the metropolitan region where this cohort represents 32.2%. After housing costs, residents retain 87.0% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Margate is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Margate's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 97.9% houses and 2.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Hobart metro had 85.3% houses and 14.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Margate was higher at 37.9%, with the rest either mortgaged (46.4%) or rented (15.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,690, above Hobart metro's average of $1,517. Median weekly rent was $400 in Margate, compared to Hobart metro's $350. Nationally, Margate's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Margate features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 81.2% of all households, including 41.1% couples with children, 27.9% couples without children, and 11.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 18.8%, comprising 17.6% lone person households and 1.0% group households. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Hobart average of 2.4.

Margate shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Margate's educational qualifications trail regional benchmarks, with 28.6% of residents aged 15 and above holding university degrees compared to the SA3 area's 37.3%. This gap indicates potential for educational development and skill enhancement. Bachelor degrees are most common at 18.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.5%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 37.6% of residents aged 15 and above holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (11.4%) and certificates (26.2%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.2% in primary education, 8.4% in secondary education, and 4.1% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Margate has 14 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus services. These stops cater to 61 different routes, facilitating a total of 4,816 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is deemed limited, with residents on average situated 897 meters away from the nearest transport stop. In this predominantly residential region, most inhabitants commute outwards, primarily using cars (91%). On average, there are 1.9 vehicles per dwelling, exceeding the regional norm. According to the 2021 Census, only 11.9% of residents work from home, a figure possibly influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency across all routes averages 688 trips daily, translating to roughly 344 weekly trips per individual stop.

Margate's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Health data shows relatively positive outcomes for Margate residents. AreaSearch's analysis found mortality rates and health conditions largely in line with national benchmarks.

Common health conditions were seen across both young and old age cohorts at a fairly standard level. Private health cover was exceptionally high, with approximately 60% of the total population (2,632 people), compared to 51.7% across Greater Hobart. The most common medical conditions were mental health issues and arthritis, affecting 9.6 and 9.0% of residents respectively. 68.4% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 65.5% across Greater Hobart. Working-age residents showed an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area had 18.4% of residents aged 65 and over (807 people), lower than the 19.9% in Greater Hobart. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than those of the general population.

Margate is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Margate's cultural diversity was found to be below average. The population born in Australia comprised 85.5%, with 93.4% being citizens, and 95.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 42.1%.

Notably, Judaism had no representation (0.0%), compared to 0.1% across Greater Hobart. The top three ancestry groups were English (31.1%), Australian (30.5%), and Irish (8.1%). Dutch ethnicity was notably overrepresented at 4.6%, compared to the regional average of 1.5%. Similarly, Australian Aboriginal and South African ethnicities had higher representations in Margate than regionally, at 4.6% vs 3.0% and 0.5% vs 0.2% respectively.

Margate's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Margate is 37 years, which is lower than Greater Hobart's average of 39 years and close to the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Hobart, the 5-14 age cohort is over-represented at 14.6% locally, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 10.2%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 75-84 age group grew from 5.2% to 6.8%, and the 15-24 cohort increased from 11.4% to 12.8%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort declined from 16.3% to 14.6%, and the 25-34 group dropped from 11.4% to 10.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Margate. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 47%, reaching 781 people from 530. Meanwhile, both the 0-4 and 65-74 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.